Improving my Etsy store

I was very excited about opening my new online store!
I've created some great jewelry pieces, I took pictures from all angles, I edited them with my photoshop program, and finally, I posted them in my e-store!
I thought I did a great job! But, I figured I needed extra opinion, so I went to Etsy forums and asked other fellow etsians to take a look at my store and to tell me what they though. It didn't go to well. I had a lot of negative(but constructive) critiques!
My banner was bad ( I did it my self and I was proud of it!), my pictures were unfocused, blurry and dark; my background wasn't good ether!
They told me all the pictures should be in the same line, and they should tell the same story; they should be uniform when you look at all of them.
Bottom line everything I had done was wrong!
What a disappointment! Had to start all over again! New pictures, new banner, new background!
One very nice lady selling on Etsy helped me with banner. For a very small fee she did extraordinary job! She was very patient with me, too.
If you are in need of a custom made banner for your online store I really recommend this lady! She will do miracles:bohtieque.etsy.com
My banner looks great now, and tell the same story like my jewelry do.
I am still working on improving my pictures. It's hard and very time consuming!
But, when you have a website you need great pictures! After all, pictures sell your product!
I have a lot of work to do so, good bye!

What is Etsy.com?

I wrote so many times in my blog about Etsy. Etsy this, Etsy, that. Some of you maybe have no idea about this website. This website changed my life! It opened a new world for me! I learned so much since first discovered Etsy.
Etsy is a website where you can sell and buy handmade and vintage items.
Etsy is full of wonderful designers that provide you with unique handmade items at great prices. I am one of them! The competition is fierce!



Many of the designers will do custom orders, take wholesale orders or consign.
If you are interested, you can contact them any time for more information.

Enjoy shopping on www.etsy.com

No sales on my Etsy store... yet!

It's been few month already since I opened my Etsy online store!
I did a lot of research on how to sell on Etsy:
I've been very active in forums;

I've listed new items every day - it's true, I only listed 13 items so far, but I am still working on it! It is hard to make jewelry and then take pictures of it, then edit it on Adobe Photoshop, and then add it to the online store, plus try to advertise. A lot of things to do!
Today I gave everybody at work my business card with my Etsy store on it!

After doing all that, still no sale! I think the important thing is to be consistent, keep advertising!

So... no sales...yet!

BANA DESIGNS JEWELLERY: Craft show in Los Angeles!

BANA DESIGNS JEWELLERY: Craft show in Los Angeles!

Craft show in Los Angeles!

I have been invited at a craft show in Los Angeles, on Saturday, November 8th, 2008
At the 1st annual Holiday Hotness Bazaar. The hours are from 11 am - 7 pm at the GAM Art Center, located in the heart of Los Angeles.
I will bring both my handmades and my jewelry collection! I will see you there!
It is a very good opportunity to meet some great designers from the local community! You don't want to miss this chance!



In the picture below, you can see the GAM Art Center.

Hard times in jewelry world!

I am getting a little disappointed with my sales today! It was very hard! I didn't do much of a profit!

I recently started to sell my jewelry and my handmade crocheted accessories at a local swap meet. On Friday nights and Saturday mornings. I found it hard to sell on Friday nights. It seams that people coming there they are enjoying walking around and looking around, and they are not buying much! So I decided to come back there only on Saturday morning. It is much better! And the renting is cheaper, too. It is $40 on Friday and only $25 on Saturday. Plus, on Friday you have to pay for electricity which is $5.

I feel very disappointed today!

The Beginning of my Jewelry Business!

Finally, I got serious with my new hobby - the jewelry making hobby that turned into a little business, just because this is like a drog, once you start, you get addictive. And this is an expensive hobby, too! In order to buy more and more and more beads, I had to sell some of my creations!
First, I made some earrings that I took them to work, and guess who bought my first pair? My friend Lorena ( I think she wanted to be supportive). Selling my first pieces of jewelry gave me the courage to continue! Now, every time I go to work, I have a little box full of jewelry, just in case some of my co-workers are interested.
This is an unknown road I am taking, and I am a little scared, but I cannot stop!
I am going for it!
I am soon going to be a jewelry designer!
I have so much to learn!
I am so exited!
Wish me luck!

'Sex and the City' Freak!

Yes, that's me! I just came from the premier of 'Sex in The City' movie.
I always work on Friday nights, but today, I HAD to take it off. I couldn't miss the premier of my favorite movie of all times!!!!
The movie was even better than I expected. Unfortunately, I didn't have any good girlfriends to share the experience with, so , my boyfriend had no choice but accompany me .
While waiting in a long line to buy the tickets, 'I couldn't help but wonder' how all the women were all dressed up, wearing high heels, of course! It was beautiful!
We barely found some seats all the way in the back. There must have been hundreds of women and barely 10 guys.
The movie started and everybody started clapping and screaming. All our friends from all the 6 series were back! I admired the fashion, the stories, and was astonished by the jewelries. Felt so jealous!
I experienced mixed feelings: I was laughing and the next second crying.
It was great!!! Wonderful! Exciting!
I love movies with happy ending!

Fashion first appeared with the homo sapiens!

I recently read a history book about homo sapiens, or 'wise man'; is the species that we recognize today as ourselves. I was surprised to find out that this cave men had already developed a sense of creation and fashion.
They crafted tools from a range of different materials, including needles made from bone, and rope and threads constructed from animal and plant fibers.
Their clothing would probably have been tailored to cope with the extreme weather conditions of the Ice Age and some items were even decorated with beading. They used for decorating their clothes seeds, bones and small stones.
Isn't that great?

Hi!

I am very crafty and I love to do handmade unique pieces. I like to crochet and knit, and recently I discovered jewelry making.
Jewelry making is a very expensive hobby and in order to be able to buy more beads and findings, I had to sell my creations. Slowly, my hobby turned into a business.
I am only at the beginning. I have a lot to learn! You can learn from my mistakes or from my experience.
That's why I started this blog with the intention to be a help for all the women out there that want to work from home, while they are taking care of their children, for the ones that love to do hand made stuff and like to read about other people interested in the same.
Since this I am at the beginning this road, I am always looking forward in learning new business tips from more experienced people in this matter. So feel free to write any advice or idea that might help me or others like me.
Good luck to you and good luck to me!